I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 175 The white ginseng fruit arrived and Madam Li left!

Xie An came to the gate of Li's mansion in the rain.

The stone lions that once stood in front of the Li Mansion were gone, the red paint on the door had peeled off, and even the lanterns were gone. The place looked completely desolate.

For some reason, Xie An's mind flashed back to the day seven years ago.

On a snowy day, Xie An redeemed himself and walked out of the door with his head held high. Madam Li walked him to the door, gave Xie An five taels of silver, and said, "Old Xie, take care."

The Li Mansion was still prosperous and magnificent at that time, but now it has declined to this extent.

Xie An put his mind at ease and went forward to knock on the door.

No one answered.

Ok?
That’s not right. Didn’t He Chunli and Han Li come to Wuqiao Town early?
Xie An tied the horse under a tree not far away, then activated the Mingyu Gong and climbed over the wall directly.

Entering the Li Mansion, we found it was in even greater disrepair. Many courtyards were deserted, and a large number of maids and servants had been dismissed. We didn't see a single person along the way.

It was not until I reached the atrium that I could vaguely see the lights.

Xie An sneaked to the bedroom to check.

Han Li and He Chunli were standing at the door, and Chunlan's soft sobbing could be heard from the room.

Xie An adjusted his angle and then saw Madam Li lying on the bed in the bedroom.

Compared to the dignified and kind woman she once was, she is now a frail old woman, with yellow spots all over her face and sunken eye sockets. Perhaps due to her long-term illness, her body has become emaciated, with only skin and bones left.

Chunlan sat at the head of the bed, holding Mrs. Li's hand tightly, sobbing softly.

Mrs. Li, who was already in poor health, occasionally coughed slightly and her body trembled like a lamp that was about to go out at any time.

Xie An couldn't help feeling touched after reading it.

All the events of the past came to mind.

Xie An once worked as a court attendant in the Li Mansion. Although Li Ru was harsh, his wife, Mrs. Li, was extremely kind to Xie An. During his stroke, she took the initiative to get Xie An time off. Later, unable to resist Li Ru's demand for a high ransom, she offered Xie An 180 taels of silver, allowing him to redeem himself and have a decent old age.

Later, when Xie An redeemed himself, Lady Li braved the wind and snow to see him off, and told him to let her know if he couldn't make a living outside.

Xie An became the incense master and the hall master, but Lady Li did not come to curry favor with him.

Deep down, Xie An was grateful and admired Mrs. Li.

He hopes that Mrs. Li will have a healthy and happy old age and die of old age.

I don't want to be this sick.

After a while, Chunlan went out, walked along the corridor and left the yard, and went to the small kitchen in the backyard to boil medicine.

While the medicine was being decocted, He Chunli sneaked over to help.

He Chunli saw Chunlan was upset, and felt even more upset himself. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but He Chunli was clumsy and couldn't speak. He just stood there like a mallet.

Chunlan said, "You go to the courtyard and watch over it. I'll cook the medicine here."

He Chunli clearly wanted to say, "It's okay, Han Li is here, I'll stay with you." But when the words came to his lips, they turned into "Okay."

He Chunli was shocked by himself, and then went to the courtyard in a depressed mood.

Chunlan stared blankly at He Chunli's receding back, stamping her feet in anger: You wooden man, you really left me alone...

Chunlan didn't call He Chunli, but squatted beside the stove and put the herbs into the earthenware jar one by one according to the doctor's instructions, muttering to herself: "After taking the medicine, Madam will get better."

After putting the herbs and charcoal in place, Chunlai knelt under the eaves while waiting, clasped his hands together, and prayed to the sky on the rainy night, "Madam has done good deeds all her life, and good people will be rewarded. Please bless Madam, old man, and make her health better.

If God is angry and must punish Madam, then punish me. Chunlan is willing to bear all the suffering on Madam's behalf.

God, please!"

After saying that, Chunlan supported herself on the ground with her hands and kowtowed deeply.

When Chunlan raised her head with tears in her eyes, she saw a man jumping down from the eaves. This frightened Chunlan, and she quickly stepped back, stretched out her hand to grab a piece of firewood, looked at the stranger in front of her warily, and was about to shout.

"Don't shout, it's me, Xie An." Xie An hurriedly introduced himself.

Chunlan looked incredulous, "Thank you, thank you, Master?"

The guy in front of him was too young, he looked less than 30. No wonder Chunlan couldn't believe it.

Xie An said, "When I had my stroke, you came to see me and gave me two taels of silver so I could buy medicine and prepare for my funeral. You also reminded me that Zhang Bing had bad intentions. Do you remember?"

Chunlan stared at Xie An for a long time, and finally found some similarities. Adding to the secret story Xie An told her, Chunlan was overjoyed and threw away the stick, "It's really Master Xie. He Ge'er told me that Master Xie is now very successful and has become a fifth-rank official in Qingwu County..."

As she was speaking, Chunlan suddenly bowed deeply and said, "Chunlan, greetings to the master."

Xie An hurriedly helped her up and said, "We are family, there is no need to be so particular. By the way, why is Madam Li so ill?"

Although Xie An did not enter the room just now, he could sense with his extraordinary five senses that Madam Li's life breath was very weak, and she was really at the end of her life.

Chunlan's eyes flushed red, "It's all because of the young master..."

It turned out that Li Shaoyun failed the imperial examination in Nanzhou the first time he went there. After several years of hard work, he went again. However, he encountered bandits on the way and was kidnapped by them. They also demanded a ransom.

Li Ru went to demand the release of the person with the ransom, and then... there was no further news.

When Madam Li learned of this, she was so heartbroken that she fell ill. From then on, the Li family fell into decline. To fund her treatment, Madam Li sold the pawnshop and other properties of the Li family. She also dismissed the maids and servants. She also returned everyone's indentures free of charge, allowing them to fend for themselves.

Chunlan also got her indenture, but she chose to stay and serve Madam Li out of consideration for her past relationship with her.

After hearing this, Xie An sighed.

Unexpectedly, the Li family had experienced such a great change in the past four years. He Chunli and Han Li had learned from Chunlan that Li Ru and Li Shaoyun had once made it difficult for Xie An to redeem himself, so they kept it a secret from Xie An, fearing that it would bring back his sad past.

After recounting these past events, Chunlan burst into tears. "The doctor said that Madam didn't have many days left to live. Master Xie, you said... Madam was such a good person, how could God have the heart to treat her like this?"

Xie An was speechless.

After a while, Xie An took out a Qi and Blood Pill he got from the Demon Suppression Division and handed it to Chunlan, "This is the Qi and Blood Pill I got from the Demon Suppression Division. Put it in a clay pot and dissolve it, and give it to Madam Li. Maybe it can prolong her life for a while."

Chunlan took the pill, sniffed it a few times, and felt refreshed. She was amazed, "Can this medicine really prolong my life?"

Xie An couldn't bear to lie to Chunlan. "This is for nourishing Qi and blood, mainly for conditioning. It is extremely beneficial to the body, but it has no life-extending effect. However, the Demon Suppression Division has another magical medicine called white ginseng fruit, which can really prolong life. After a while, I got this white ginseng fruit and gave it to Madam to eat. It won't be a problem to keep Madam alive for a few more years."

thump.

Chunlan knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Master Xie. Thank you for remembering Madam's kindness."

Xie An knew that Chunlan was sold to the Li Mansion when she was very young, and had been with Madam Li ever since. The relationship between the two was like that of mother and daughter.

After helping Chunlan up, Xie An comforted her, "Do your best and leave the rest to fate. We don't know how long it will take for the white ginseng fruit to come out. I hope Madam Li can hold on until then. You are smart. You should encourage Madam Li more so that she can have something to look forward to."

Chunlan nodded heavily and asked tearfully, "Can I tell Madam that Master Xie has become a fifth-rank general and has sent people to Nanzhou to inquire about the whereabouts of the eldest young master and the master?"

Looking at Chunlan asking with tears in her eyes and expectant look on her face, Xie An felt very uncomfortable.

But Xie An didn't show it, and chuckled softly, "Of course. Go back and ask your wife to write down all the details and time of what happened to Li Shaoyun and the others. I'll ask someone to go and ask."

"In this case, Madam Li will definitely take the medicine well and take good care of her body. Thank you, Master Xie!" Chunlan bent down to express her gratitude, and then she became much more excited. She hurriedly took the pills and put them into the earthenware jar, stirring them constantly with a spoon to speed up the melting of the pills.

Chunlan was so excited at this moment, with a smile of anticipation on her face. She kept muttering, "Madam, now that she has a goal, she will definitely get better. Maybe she can go back to the way she was before..."

After mumbling to herself for a while, Chunlan finally remembered something and turned around and said, "Master Xie, you came so late. Have you eaten yet? I'll make you some side dishes..."

Where is Xie An?
Only the heavy rain at night remained.

Chunlan thought Xie An must be busy, so she left without saying goodbye. She murmured to the rainy night, "Master Xie, thank you!"

After a long time, Chunlan boiled the medicine, brought it to the bedroom in the courtyard, and fed it to Mrs. Li personally.

Mrs. Li took the medicine in a daze and fell asleep.

A peaceful night.

In the past, Madam Li would wake up in the middle of the night after taking medicine and cough violently. Chunlan, who was on night watch, felt heartbroken watching this, but tonight was the first time she saw Madam Li sleeping peacefully.

She thought that the medicine Xie An gave her was indeed effective.

Soon, Chunlan fell asleep on the head of the bed.

As for He Chunli and Han Li, they had been staying at the Li residence for the past few days, worried that Madam Li might pass away at any time. As they were also former court officials at the Li residence, they naturally knew how kind Madam Li was to them, so they refused to leave.

The next morning, Chunlan opened her eyes and was shocked to see Mrs. Li sitting next to the dressing table combing her hair.

Mrs. Li has not left her bed for more than a year.

Chunlan was overjoyed, "Madam, do you feel better?"

Madam Li stood with her white hair standing on end. "I felt much better when I woke up this morning. By the way, Chunlan, what medicine did you give me last night? It seemed to be quite effective."

Chunlan's eyes suddenly turned red and she recounted what happened last night in detail.

Mrs. Li was so frightened that her comb fell off, and her eyes were red.

Xie An was promoted to a fifth-rank general, given Qi and Blood Pills, and was willing to help find out the whereabouts of Li Ru and Shao Yun...

After being stunned for a long time, Mrs. Li bent down to pick up the comb, "Old Xie, you finally made it through. You are so loyal and righteous. Chunlan, hurry up and get me some paper and pen." At this moment, there was a sound of gongs and drums outside the door, and then a villager ran in to make an announcement.

"Our Wu Temple has produced a great and upright master. The Xie family is the head, and Master Xie has become a fifth-rank general. Last night, he wiped out the Giant Whale Gang, which was an accomplice to the evil. He will lead everyone in holding a ceremony to worship the ancestors at the end of the year."

……

Early in the morning, the sounds of gongs and drums spread throughout Wuqiao Town and Shuideng Town.

Shuideng Town, Zheng family.

Ever since they last met Xie An, Zheng Bingxiang and his grandson's wife have kept the door closed and dared not go out for a moment, for fear of retaliation from the Giant Whale Gang.

After all, the grandson's wife had helped Xie An in the past.

The two of them were worried and frightened and couldn't sleep at night.

That morning, the grandson's wife prepared breakfast and sat down to eat with Zheng Bingxiang. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Hearing it was a familiar villager, they hurried to open the door.

The villagers excitedly said, "Mr. Zheng, great news! The Demon Suppression Division wiped out the Giant Whale Gang last night, killing 600 of them. Everything is peaceful now. They say the head of the Xie family in Wuqiao Town has been promoted to a fifth-rank general. He's helping the villagers suppress the bandits and will lead everyone to the Wu Temple to worship their ancestors."

Zheng Bingxiang stopped crying and said, "God bless you, thank you for your great merits."

The granddaughter-in-law was also in tears. She had finally gotten back the hatred, grievances, and justice she had felt for being humiliated.

……

Zhao Qing'er led the Demon Suppression Division to camp at the Blood Ridge Market for three days to clean up the mess. They were worried that the Blood Ridge Market would be in chaos, but they discovered that Lin Yun and Liang Zhi were quite capable and actually managed to keep the market running smoothly.

Therefore, Zhao Qing'er directly suggested to the county government that Lin Yun be appointed as the new Yuanwailang.

Although Zhao Qing'er held a low position, she held the status of a princess, and the county magistrate was an old subordinate of Wen Zaiqing, so how could he dare to disobey? He immediately issued a document, officially appointing Lin Yun as an eighth-rank official and Liang Zhi as a ninth-rank accountant.

At this point, the Blood Ridge Market was completely back on track.

That day, the sky was clear and the air was fresh, with vast clouds and high sky.

At noon.

Feiyun Inn, Shuideng Town.

After three days of seclusion, Xie An walked out of the room, stretched, looked at the blue sky, and his mood improved a lot.

Three days ago, Xie An had settled here after leaving Li's residence. He also told Zhao Qing'er that if she had any problems, she could come here.

The aftermath of wiping out the Giant Whale Gang was extremely complex and would only be considered a complete success once it was completely concluded. During this period, Xie An, as the leader of the operation, naturally couldn't stay away from this place.

Arriving on the first floor, Xie An ordered two pounds of beef, a spicy lamb head, a bowl of peanuts, and a bowl of stir-fried lettuce for lunch.

Although beef is delicious, cattle are considered production tools in Daqian and should not be slaughtered lightly. In the countryside, beef is hard to come by, with mutton and pork being the main meat.

After eating a spicy sheep's head, Xie An felt his stomach was extremely satisfied. When he was about to leave, a demon-suppressing guard in a navy blue uniform hurried in.

"General, Chief Zhao has sent a subordinate to report that the finishing work has been completed. Please verify it, General."

Xie An came all the way to Silang Mansion in Xueling Market. As soon as he arrived at the gate, he saw dozens of large boxes neatly placed on the ground. Inside them were a large number of silver ingots, jewelry, jade, other antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and some valuable bottles and jars.

"Thank you, General Manager. These were all taken from the confiscation of property." Wei Haoran stepped forward and explained, "All added up, it's a full 50,000 taels. They're truly a bunch of unforgivable villains. I wonder how much of the people's wealth they've plundered."

Fifty thousand taels!
Xie An was shocked.

No wonder the people around are suffering.

However, even though the property was confiscated, the money could not be returned to the people, but would belong to the treasury of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

This has been the case throughout the dynasties: corrupt officials extort money from the people, and then the emperor executes a bunch of them. The people applaud, but the money... is never returned.

Those who suffer are always the lower class.

Xie An shook his head and entered Silang's mansion.

In the courtyard, Zhao Qing'er and Chen Tie were checking the account books. When they saw Xie An coming, they had to report to him.

After the discussion, Chen Tie said, "The Giant Whale Gang has been annihilated, and the Blood Ridge Market is operating normally. This was accomplished thanks to General Manager Xie's strategic planning. I reported the minor merit three nights ago. General Manager Xie can go to the Demon Suppression Bureau's office to select the reward for the minor merit. If you have no other instructions, I'll call it a day."

Xie An nodded, "Then let's call it a day."

A hundred Demon Suppression Guards, pulling carriages and cargo boxes, left the Blood Ridge Market in a mighty procession. Countless civilians lined up to see them off, remarking on the Demon Suppression Division's achievements.

Many women and girls who had been abused by Li Huwei came forward with eggs and vegetables to express their gratitude.

It blocked the way for a while, making the demon-suppressing guards very embarrassed.

Eggs and vegetables aren't really that valuable; the Demon Suppression Division doesn't lack them. Besides, the carriage wouldn't be able to fit them all.

Finally, Xie An said, "Then accept it. Only take common things like eggs, vegetables, bacon, etc., and don't take anything valuable."

Zhao Qing'er was very pleased. "The General has spoken. All of this is accepted. Villagers, please don't push. All of this is accepted. If you encounter any problems in the future, come directly to the Demonic Division of the County Town to report to the authorities. Anyone who dares to stop us should report my name, Zhao Qing'er. I want to see who dares to cover up everything."

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately caused a commotion among the villagers.

When he arrived at the Demon Suppression Division, Xie An went straight to the filing room and found Ye Zhubo, who was in charge of the place.

Ye Zhubo was over fifty years old, with half his hair white. However, he was a martial artist with nimble hands and feet and a humble demeanor. Upon seeing Xie An, he greeted him warmly, "Master General, you wiped out the Giant Whale Gang right after taking office. You have benefited the people of this area and are a role model for our generation. This is the reward for a small merit. You can only choose one."

Xie An took the booklet handed to him by Ye Zhubo and opened it to take a look.

There are four treasures that can be exchanged.

Wave-Slashing Sword Technique: After mastering it, it can cut through waves up to 20 meters. It is suitable for underwater combat, as it can reduce underwater resistance. It is especially suitable for killing water monsters.

Breathing Guidance: An advanced breathing method that can guide breathing, cultivate the body and nourish qi, and strengthen the bones.

Long round needle method: hide the needle in the sleeve and kill people invisibly.

Ok?
This acupuncture method attracted the attention of Xie An.

A long time ago, Xie An thought about the path to tempering his weapons: heavy bow, broadsword.

At long range, use a heavy bow to eliminate opponents.

At close range, use a broadsword to take advantage of your strength.

This will ensure your own safety.

But for assassinations, surprise attacks, and close combat, a broadsword wouldn't work. He needed to practice a smaller weapon, one that could catch the enemy off guard. Xie An considered the dagger, but never really practiced with it.

Now this needle technique... is obviously much better than a dagger.

Others can still see the dagger, but who can see the needle?
Get close and give the enemy a shot.

The enemy was gone before they could figure out what was going on.

Another advantage of the needle is that the tip is thin enough. When all the force is concentrated on one point, the penetrating power is unimaginable.

If you can break the surface with a single point, even the body of diamond can be broken.

Even if you were facing a martial arts master, giving him a shot... would be difficult to withstand.

OK!

It’s you.

Suddenly, Xie An saw the fourth thing.

White Ginseng Fruit: As long as you are not approaching the limit of your lifespan, it can extend your life by three to five years.

The image of Mrs. Li that I saw last night appeared in my mind.

The struggle between heaven and man...

Finally, Xie An spoke:
"Master Ye, I choose the white ginseng fruit."

Ye Zhubo was greatly shocked. "Master Zongsi, it's not easy to achieve minor merits. Besides, you're still young... This white ginseng fruit won't be of much use to you. It's not as powerful as the Slashing Waves Sword Technique. The Long Round Needle Technique is also good for sneak attacks."

Xie An shook his head, "An old friend of mine is seriously ill."

Ye Zhubo stood in awe. "Your Excellency, the General Director is very loyal and righteous. However, white ginseng fruit is not easy to preserve, and there is none in the treasury. I need to report this to the Nanyang Prefecture. A round trip will take six days."

Six days later.

Dusk, heavy rain.

Xie An took the white ginseng fruit and rode his horse to Li's house in Wuqiao Town.

Found the door open.

Xie An didn't think much about it and rushed in with the box of white ginseng fruit. He went all the way to the courtyard. He saw Chunlan squatting under the eaves, with her arms folded and her head buried in her knees.

Xie An walked over and picked up the box. "Chunlan, I brought the white ginseng fruit. It's enough to extend Madam's life by three to five years. Go and inform Madam and tell her... Old Xie came to see him."

Chunlan raised her head in a daze and burst into tears, "Thank you, Master. Madam... just passed away."

(End of this chapter)